Lando - I can't help you about the other manufacturer flashes. I didn't research flashes at all, just decided that I wanted swivel and loved the results with the rep's flash (in other words, an impulsive purchase).

Bel Air isn't half as big as Samys, from what I understand (I've never actually been to Samys). It's a nice store and has all kinds of photo equipment, a locally owned place that's been in business for something like 40 years. A couple of times a year they'll host a bunch of camera reps (Pentax, Tamron, Olympus, Nikon, Leica, Canon etc.) for a weekend (Friday thru Sunday, I think). The people are knowledgeable and helpful, so I don't mind paying their higher prices for some things (and they are only a block away from my office, so its REAL convenient!).

Jason - What Scott said about the flash. In addition, with P-TTL, they "talk" to each other with the pre-flash so the camera and flashes can provide the correct exposure. The wireless flash is another useful feature that the K10 has over the K100.

Thanks Harriet! Both of those lenses are on my wish list and that was a useful comparison. It is interesting that the fish eye perspective did not look as severe at 14mm as it did at 17mm. I would have expected the reverse, but it may just be the positioning of the subjects. In any case, your comparison is helping guide me towards the 12-24mm.

I must agree that 12-24 is a sweet one- and so is 10-17... Could someone who has some defishing software handy now (away from PP computer for at least a week) defish Harriet's 10-17 shot @17mm (if Harriet does not mind :-) - just quick and dirty- please... And yep I remember that Jim King, a very reputable Pentaxian has done a superb comparison between those gems- but his images are not available just now (or anymore?)- sorry for my curiosity and impatience :-) - sometimes week can be soooooo LONG
Best and happy shooting, JR

I must agree that 12-24 is a sweet one- and so is 10-17... Could someone who has some defishing software handy now (away from PP computer for at least a week) defish Harriet's 10-17 shot @17mm (if Harriet does not mind :-) - just quick and dirty- please... And yep I remember that Jim King, a very reputable Pentaxian has done a superb comparison between those gems- but his images are not available just now (or anymore?)- sorry for my curiosity and impatience :-) - sometimes week can be soooooo LONG
Best and happy shooting, JR

anyone knows if the wireless triggering is possible only with pentax flashes or also with sigmas or metz?

Hi Lando,

The Sigma 500 and 530 Supers will work wirelessly the same as the Pentax flashes (with the 500, the flash needs the latest firmware (chip)). From what I've heard, the P-TTL Metz 58 AF1P for Pentax also does everything that the Pentax flashes do. The Sigma 530 Super and the Metz are also firware updateable through a USB port, so if Pentax tweaks the P-TTL protocols again (as they apparently did in the K series bodies), users can update the firmware themselves instead of having to send the units in to be updated.

It's a bit confusing trying to keep this all straight, but I believe at this particular point in time, these are the only 3rd party guns that do TTL wireless with Pentax DSLRs. In addition to the Pentax FGZ features, the Sigmas also do strobe (multiple flashes per exposure) and the Metz has "Smart Auto" mode where the camera body tells the flash what exposure settings are being used and the flash uses the aperture information to control the flash duration (and exposure) with it's own metering sensor. "Smart Auto" is reported to be a very good alternative to TTL and P-TTL metering. The Metz also has a secondary fill flash unit built into the flash body.